For nearly three decades, Tom Cruise has been the beating heart of the Mission: Impossible franchise, transforming a 1960s TV show into a global cinematic juggernaut defined by death-defying stunts, intricate espionage, and unrelenting spectacle. With Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth and potentially final installment, Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie aim to close Ethan Hunt’s saga with a bang. But does this $400 million behemoth deliver a fitting swan song, or does it buckle under its own ambition? The answer lies somewhere in between: The Final Reckoning is a thrilling, flawed, and deeply sentimental tribute to one of cinema’s greatest action franchises, propelled by Cruise’s unmatched charisma and jaw-dropping set pieces, even if it stumbles in its narrative heft.
A Plot as Convoluted as It Is Apocalyptic
Picking up months after the events of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), The Final Reckoning thrusts Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team—Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and newcomer Grace (Hayley Atwell)—into a race against time to stop the rogue AI, the Entity, from triggering global annihilation. The Entity, introduced in Dead Reckoning, has grown more powerful, infiltrating global systems and threatening nuclear arsenals. Ethan’s mission involves retrieving a key to access the AI’s source code, hidden in a sunken Russian submarine, while facing off against the Entity’s human enforcer, Gabriel (Esai Morales).
The plot is, to put it mildly, labyrinthine. Critics have noted its near-inscrutable complexity, with early scenes bogged down by expository dialogue and flashbacks to the franchise’s 30-year history. The script, penned by McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen, leans heavily on callbacks, weaving in characters and moments from all seven prior films. While this rewards longtime fans—expect a poignant nod to the 1996 original—it alienates newcomers and bloats the 170-minute runtime. The film’s insistence on mythologizing Ethan as a Christ-like savior, underscored by Angela Bassett’s President Erika Sloane declaring him “the best of men in the worst of times,” feels heavy-handed, veering into melodrama that clashes with the series’ trademark wit.
Yet, logic has never been the Mission: Impossible series’ raison d’être. The franchise thrives on outrageousness, and The Final Reckoning doubles down with a doomsday fervor that, while occasionally dour, imbues the stakes with palpable urgency. The Entity’s omnipotent threat mirrors real-world anxieties about AI, but the film sidesteps deeper exploration in favor of spectacle. If you can switch your brain off and embrace the chaos, the narrative’s shortcomings become less glaring, paving the way for the film’s true stars: its action sequences.
Stunts That Redefine Cinematic Spectacle
Tom Cruise, now 62, remains a singular force in Hollywood, risking life and limb to deliver analog thrills in an era dominated by CGI. The Final Reckoning is a stunt showcase par excellence, featuring two set pieces that rank among the franchise’s finest. The first, a wordless underwater sequence in a wrecked submarine, is a masterclass in tension, with Cruise navigating flooded compartments and dodging torpedoes. Critics have praised its eerie, almost claustrophobic atmosphere, a stark contrast to the series’ usual high-octane flair.
The second, heavily publicized in trailers, involves Cruise clambering between two biplanes at 10,000 feet over South African landscapes. This sequence is nothing short of breathtaking, blending heart-stopping acrobatics with visual grandeur. Critics have called it “one of cinema’s greatest stunts,” with Cruise’s physicality—his face battered by high-altitude winds—underscoring his commitment to authenticity. The biplane chase, while reminiscent of earlier Mission: Impossible aerial feats, feels fresh thanks to McQuarrie’s razor-sharp direction and Fraser Taggart’s muscular cinematography.
These sequences alone justify the price of admission, especially on an IMAX screen, where the film’s immersive sound design and sweeping visuals shine. Social media reactions from early screenings echo this sentiment, with fans hailing Cruise as “the king of spectacle” and the plane stunt as a “pulse-pounding thrill ride.” However, the film’s pacing falters in its first hour, with excessive montages and voice-overs that critics have dubbed “Solemnity Overload.” Once the action kicks into gear, though, The Final Reckoning rarely lets up, delivering the visceral entertainment fans expect.
Performances: Cruise Shines, Ensemble Stumbles
Cruise’s Ethan Hunt is the emotional and physical core of The Final Reckoning. His performance balances corrosive intensity with moments of vulnerability, particularly in scenes emphasizing Ethan’s sacrifices for “the greater good.” Cruise’s ability to convey both superhuman resolve and human fragility—especially in a near-naked fight scene that showcases his remarkable physique—elevates the film beyond its narrative flaws. His direct-to-camera plea for trust feels like Cruise himself addressing the audience, a meta nod to his mission to save theatrical cinema.
The supporting cast, while talented, is underserved by the script. Hayley Atwell’s Grace brings charm and chemistry with Cruise, particularly in an Arctic sequence, but her role feels reduced to plot device. Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames deliver reliable warmth as Benji and Luther, though their screen time is limited by the film’s focus on Ethan. Esai Morales’ Gabriel is a functional but underwhelming villain, lacking the menace of past antagonists like Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Owen Davian.
Standouts include Tramell Tillman (Severance) as submarine captain Bledsoe, whose suave, almost seductive delivery steals every scene. Critics have universally praised his charisma, with some calling for more of him in future projects. Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding) also impresses in a smaller role, hinting at her rising star power. Angela Bassett, as President Sloane, commands attention but is confined to exposition-heavy scenes that feel like a West Wing parody.
A Bittersweet Farewell to a Cinematic Titan
The Final Reckoning is as much a celebration of Tom Cruise’s legacy as it is a Mission: Impossible film. The franchise has long been a vehicle for his daredevil persona, and this installment leans into that ethos with reverence. Lorne Balfe’s score, an operatic reworking of Lalo Schifrin’s iconic theme, amplifies the film’s emotional weight, though it occasionally overwhelms quieter moments. The production design, from icy Arctic bases to neon-lit Asian megacities, is suitably epic, though some CGI-heavy sequences lack the tactile grit of earlier entries.
The film’s biggest triumph is its refusal to compromise on ambition. At a time when studios lean on safe, formulaic blockbusters, Cruise and McQuarrie bet big on practical effects and theatrical exclusivity, demanding audiences experience The Final Reckoning on the largest screen possible. Yet, its flaws—overwrought sentimentality, a convoluted plot, and an overstuffed cast—prevent it from surpassing 2018’s Fallout, widely regarded as the series’ peak.
Critical and Fan Reception
Early reviews are mixed but lean positive. Critics praise the stunts and Cruise’s commitment but critique the narrative bloat, with Rotten Tomatoes aggregating an 82% score from 200 reviews as of May 17, 2025. Audience reactions on social media are more effusive, with fans calling it “a love letter to Mission: Impossible” and “Cruise’s craziest mission yet.” Box office projections estimate a $200 million global opening weekend, buoyed by IMAX and premium format sales, though it faces competition from Avatar: Fire and Ash next month.
Final Verdict: A Flawed But Fitting Finale
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning doesn’t reinvent the franchise, nor does it need to. It’s a bombastic, heartfelt capstone that plays to the series’ strengths: Cruise’s superhuman dedication, jaw-dropping action, and a knack for making the impossible feel tangible. While it stumbles under the weight of its own mythology, it delivers enough thrills to satisfy fans and cement Ethan Hunt’s place in the action hero pantheon. See it on the biggest screen possible, and brace for a wild ride.
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
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